Multicultural Night, set for tonight, January 30,  is one of the most anticipated events of the school year, bringing students and families together to celebrate diversity through performances, food, and fashion. The planning process for the event is extensive and begins months in advance.

“Multicultural Night is really kind of like a six-month plan…we actually started planning before the end of last school year,” Adviser and Social Studies teacher, Mr. Brendon Mostert, said. He explained that student leaders and club representatives are identified early so they can begin spreading the word and organizing performances.

 “As soon as club leadership is identified, we begin getting word out about what we want and how to put the show together,” Mostert explained.

This year’s Multicultural Night will represent a wide range of cultures across food, performances, and the fashion show. 

“We have nine different cultures doing food, about twenty different dances or performances, and probably twelve to fifteen cultures represented through performances,” Mr. Mostert expressed. 

In addition, the fashion show will highlight even more backgrounds. “We have another ten cultures represented just in the fashion show,” Mostert added. A lot of students are expected to participate throughout the whole night. “We probably have about fifty people performing either in the show or the fashion show,” Mostert stated.

Food is one of the most popular attractions of the event, drawing large crowds to the auxiliary gym. 

“One of the people’s favorite parts is the food stands from cultures around the world, with each culture having their own menu items,” Mostert noted. 

While previous events included activities such as henna and games, the focus has shifted. 

“People really want to see the performances and get food, so that’s what we focus on now,” Mostert said.

The event itself lasts several hours and is carefully scheduled to keep the night engaging. 

“The event tends to be about a three-hour performance with a thirty-minute intermission in the middle,” Mostert said. He noted that attendees should arrive early to experience the full event. 

“People can arrive around six o’clock and see great performances up until about nine o’clock at night,” Mostert said.

One of the most anticipated moments of the night is the fashion show, which features traditional cultural clothing. 

“The fashion show will feature cultural clothing from all over the world.” Mostert said. It will take place immediately after intermission and last about fifteen minutes. 

“The fashion show runs from about 7:45 to 8:00 pm, and then the second half of performances begins,” Mostert explained.

 Each year brings something new depending on the student participation. “Multicultural Night ends up being very different every year, depending on which cultures the student body represents,” Mr. Mostert said.

As the fourth annual Multicultural Night, the event continues to grow in size and impact. “Every year, more people recognize that it’s happening,” Mostert reflected. 

He shared his excitement for this year’s performances, especially the opening act and a unique cultural fusion performance. “We’re kicking it off with an Indigenous South American keyboard performance, and we also have a group of young women blending African cultures with K-pop, which is really high energy,” Mostert exclaimed.

Through music, movement, and tradition, Multicultural Night proves that diversity is beautiful because it turns individuality into unity and strangers into community.